The game baccarat is a popular card game at many casinos. Although usually found in a roped off or somewhat secluded area to attract high rollers or bettors seeking to gamble in relative privacy, baccarat is now played by many gamblers. The object of the game is to receive a hand value closest to 9. An Ace has a point value of 1 and cards 2 through 9 have point values equal to their face values (e.g. 3 of Spades has a point value of 3). 10s, Jacks, Queens and Kings have a point value of zero, Thus, if the first two cards dealt are a Jack and a 6, the total point value of the hand is 6. When the combination of cards creates a point total of 10 or more, the first digit is ignored. For example, a 4 and a 7 have a point value of 1 (not 11) Therefore, the highest point total that it is possible to achieve is a 9. Between the banker's hand and the player's hand, the hand value closest to 9 is the winning hand.
In baccarat, two cards are first dealt to a player's hand and two cards are first dealt to a dealer's, or banker's, or house hand. A two-card point total of 9 is called a “natural” and this hand cannot lose. A two-card point total of 8 is also called a “natural” and this is the second-best hand. In the event of a tie between the player's hand and the banker's hand neither the banker's hand nor the player's hand wins. Although, it is possible for the player to wager that a tie would occur, in which case the player is paid a multiple of his or her wager, usually the player is paid at a rate of 8 to 1. If the player or banker receive a two-card point total of 7, no further cards are received. No more than a total of 3 cards can be received, including the original two cards dealt.
When two-card point totals are 6 or less a very complex set of rules govern when the banker or player must draw an additional card. One of the dealers, known as the caller, determines the need for additional cards, which are dealt automatically and without direction or consent from the player. This method of play can be confusing, when one is not completely familiar with all of the rules governing card disbursement. The rules are often hard to pick up, causing many players to avoid the game of baccarat altogether.
It is also possible for the player to wager that the banker's hand (and not the player's hand) will win, although a successful wager on the banker's hand results in a 5% commission on the wager, paid to the casino. Since it is cumbersome to collect this sum each time a successful wager on the banker's hand is made, an additional dealer keeps track of what the player owes, and all debts are paid to the dealer once 8 decks of cards (known as the shoe) have been dealt. This method can create the feeling that one must pay the casino to win, a notion which can create some animosity and resentment when playing the game of baccarat. The 5% commission is also an additional calculation that must be taken into account by a gambler when determining his or her winnings. In the game of baccarat, the shoe is passed from player to player. When the player has the shoe, he or she must bet on the banker's hand, with the ensuing commission to be paid for a winning wager.
The game of baccarat can therefore create difficulties in determining the amount of winnings, and therefore the amount of money to wager, and the complex set of rules also makes the game of baccarat hard to follow.
The game of mini-baccarat has been developed to try and introduce the game of baccarat to more gamblers. The passing of the shoe and other customs of the traditional game of baccarat have been eliminated, but mini-baccarat follows the same rules of play as regular baccarat. For the most part, therefore, mini-baccarat retains the same shortcomings of regular baccarat. Mainly, the game of mini-baccarat was introduced as a way to place the smaller tables of mini-baccarat amongst the black-jack tables where there is more pedestrian traffic, and consequently, more likelihood of attracting gamblers.
As with virtually every game in a casino, the more players capable of playing the game, the more money a casino can make. Additionally, it is often the case that more players means more fun for the players, as a more social atmosphere is created by a larger group of people.
In my co-pending patent application noted above, I have disclosed a simpler baccarat-type game using three cards for the player and three cards for the banker, dealer or house. While my simpler baccarat-type game as disclosed in the co-pending patent application is a significant improvement over prior known baccarat games, I have now discovered an improved version thereof which provides a more interesting game with other betting options that could result in a bonus payback to the player successfully selecting one of the betting options that results in the player choosing one of the three card hands that is a bonus payback type three card hand.
Two prior art references, the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/841,174 that was filed on Apr. 25, 2001 in the name of Derek J. Webb and also his U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,306 that issued Dec. 11, 2001 (both with the same title “Method and Apparatus For Playing A Game with Numerical Result”) disclose various types of baccarat games, but do not disclose my simplified combined game using both baccarat and poker concepts and a potential significant bonus payout.
A need therefore existed for providing a new, simpler table and method of playing a combined baccarat and poker-type card game with a significant bonus payout potential, without all of the complex rules regarding when a third card is received, with no 5% commission for successfully wagering on a banker's hand, and with the possibility of playing with additional players.